Click here to see the Constitution for North Dakota United, drafted by the Unity Team of leaders from the North Dakota Education Association and the North Dakota Public Employees Association.

Click here for the Bylaws of North Dakota United, as drafted by the Unity Team of leaders from North Dakota Public Employees Association and North Dakota Education Association.

Click here for the Merger and Transition Agreement made between the leadership of the North Dakota Education Association and the North Dakota Public Employees Association, in planning for our proposed merger into North Dakota United.

NFT Members Hear From National Union President During Call

LANGHORNE, PA (November 20, 2012) — Neshaminy Federation of Teachers members participated in a telephone town hall meeting hosted by the union to discuss recent developments regarding ongoing contract talks with the Neshaminy School District.

The teachers and other certified school staff members were joined on the call by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and AFT Pennsylvania President Ted Kirsch. Both leaders voiced their support for NFT members and their bargaining team, who are now in the fifth school year of negotiations seeking a new contract.

They and NFT leaders told those on the call that they believe recent talks may lead to a settlement. “We can finally see a path to agreement opening,” NFT President Louise Boyd said. “We are not looking at this through rose-colored glasses, so we can’t say how much longer it will take. But if the School Board will continue to engage on the issues and work with us at the bargaining table, our team feels more encouraged than we have in a long while.”

During the call, Boyd and others discussed significant compromises that the NFT has offered to answer the Board’s economic concerns. With financial issues nearly resolved, she said, the remaining issues focus on educational quality and practices.

The two bargaining teams are still trying to work out language to clarify the concept of teacher voice in decisions that affect curriculum, instruction and other classroom matters. “We all know that ‘veto power’ has never been part of the teacher voice provisions in our contract,” Boyd said. “And we can accept new language that makes that clear. But we can’t agree to just eliminate teacher voice, as the Board has proposed. Our students need us to speak up for them.”

Another contract issue discussed during the call was the Board’s proposal to eliminate limits on class sizes and the connection with possible school closures.

NFT members also heard from leaders of their community outreach committee. The committee organized a meeting last week with several leaders of the parent-teacher organizations active at each school in the district.

Committee co-chair Tara Huber and Boyd discussed a full-page NFT advertisement that will run in Wednesday’s Bucks County Courier Times. “We wanted to let our community know just how much teachers and school staff have offered to sacrifice economically,” Huber said. “And everyone should know that the main issues still being discussed are about educational quality.”

Wondering how to pay for college next year? PA AFL-CIO Scholarship Essay Contest and Union Plus Scholarship Program are accepting applications until 1/31/2013. Find out more ... http://aftpa.org/

Interesting NYSUT Fact Sheet with potential options for school districts and administrators to consider when factoring your calculation for local 20%.

SED has said that attendance adjustments are allowed when calculating the local 20%.  

http://www.nysut.org/files/FactSheetStudentAttendance.pdf

Click link for November 2012 issue of ECM "On Board" Newsletter.

Link: http://nbea.mn.aft.org/files/ecmnovember_newsletter_12.pdf

Find the symbol in the newsletter and be in a drawing to be a winner of a fabulous prize.  Just e-mail jbaughman@becker.k12.mn.us.

We had a great meeting last Tuesday with a good turn out.  There was a presentation on LegalShield, an OSEA member benefit.

Calling NYSUT members to voice your opinion to educational policy makers, State Education Commissioner and the Board of Regents.  Please take a few moments by clicking the link below to voice YOUR concerns, your insight and your experience!

Get involved; be active!

www.nysut.org/tellit

We have volunteers now meeting regarding the upcoming OTES.  The committee is: Chuck Rollins, Bob Priest, Sara Royer, Christine Heizman, Bonnie Thatcher, Karla Butler, Mark Bagley and Ken Amstutz.  They will continue to update up as much as possible when information comes available. If you have any concerns or questions please send an email to one of the members.